THURSDAY Reflections
Widows in
the time of Jesus didn’t have a lot of resources. The Jews would take some care
of widows and others in need, but only if they were Jewish. When people became
followers of Jesus many would have lost what little help they got from the
Jewish community. The followers of Christ picked up the slack. As was seen in
the previous chapters, believers sold what they had to help their brothers and
sisters in Christ. In meetings, the church set tables for people’s gifts.
In Acts 6,
we see that the Greek followers felt that the Greek widows were not being
treated the same as the Jewish widows. It seemed those waiting at the tables were not being fair. We don’t see signs of prejudice in the church in other
aspects, but here there were questions.
The
apostles did not want to be distracted from the real purpose of their calling,
the spreading of the Word. They had a solution, deacons (and deaconesses as we
read later). These are the equivalent of the modern-day church board and
specifically Stewards in the church of the Nazarene. These people were supposed
to be acceptable to all and be people of spotless integrity. They were not
chosen by the apostles but by the people of the church.
For the modern
church the logistics of running a church vary, but by examining this passage
the primary teachers of Scriptures were expected to concentrate on only doing
that work. As important as social work is, it was never the work of the early
church’s apostles. I don’t believe it is the primary work for the teacher
(pastor) in the church today. Charity (specifically money) is the primary work
of those chosen by the people of the church.
Act 6:1-15
(1) And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
(2) Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
(3) Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
(4) But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
(5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
(6) Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
(7) And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
(8) And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
(9) Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
(10) And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
(11) Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
(12) And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
(13) And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
(14) For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
(15) And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
No comments:
Post a Comment